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Anyone read a good book lately?

Posted by flamingspinach • 6/11/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: book, discussion, fiction, nonfiction, reading

I'm looking for a good book to read. What say you?

User Comments

6/11/08

crkian

the blogcatalog book is a good read

[reply]
1. 6/11/08
  
  flamingspinach
  
  What blogcatalog book? I'm not sure what you mean...
2. 6/11/08
  
  sellytapgirl
  
  ^He wrote a BC book.
3. 6/11/08
  
  acousticguitarist
  
  Where would someone purchase that?
4. 6/12/08
  
  flamingspinach
  
  Yeah, that's a good question -- where would someone buy that?
6/11/08

LGramlich

Right now I'm thoroughly enjoying "Selling Art Without Galleries" by Daniel Grant, but that's a rather specialized subject...
"Cold in the Light" by Charles Gramlich was a great read. Believable characters, compelling story & the cliffhangers were totally killer!

[reply]
1. 6/11/08
  
  flamingspinach
  
  Thanks for that suggestion. I'll have to check out "Cold in the Light", I haven't heard of it. I'm not sure I'll read about selling art, though I'm sure it's an interesting subject. Thanks!
6/11/08

MVT5150

I'm reading "The Kite Runner" right now. Great book. The others I read this past month was "Losing It" (valerie Bertinelli). Mainly because she talks babout Eddie Van Halen in it and he's one of my guitar heros.
The ProBlogger book on building your blogs. There's another on the list but can't quite remember the name.

[reply]
1. 6/11/08
  
  flamingspinach
  
  Thanks for those suggestions. I've been meaning to read "The Kite Runner". I heard the movie version wasn't too good so I'm staying away from the film. What's the ProBlogger book? Can you provide a link or anything to info on it? Why do you find it helpful?
6/11/08

MVT5150

It's a pretty good book about creating, writing and montizing your blog. The website is problogger.com and it's been pretty helpful to me. Particularly in the writing aspect. He addresses how to come up with topics when your stumped, what types of articles to write, how to engage your users so they will leave comments and come back.
His monetization tips are really good as well and have helped me keep the balance of having adds but them not taking over the site.

[reply]
1. 6/11/08
  
  MVT5150
  
  He also addresses the ins and outs of starting a blog, like design and hosting but I had that taken care of so I skipped through that.
2. 6/11/08
  
  flamingspinach
  
  Thanks for your advice, I'll take a look at it. As a side note, I'm interested in trying to get a few (not too many) ads up on my blog. Do you have any advice for how to do this? I saw Google has something called AdSense -- did you go this route or did the advertisers come to you?
3. 6/11/08
  
  flamingspinach
  
  Btw, I'm not asking about ads solely for myself -- I'm guessing there may be other people who visit this forum who might be interested. And also I'm not asking you to get too involved with it since ads aren't what the forum's really about. Thanks.
4. 6/11/08
  
  flamingspinach
  
  I like your advertisements by the way, very low-key.
5. 6/11/08
  
  MVT5150
  
  It depends on your blogs. Some blogs will work well with adsense if it fits a niche but if you blog on a bunch of topics the keywords will be mixed and the ads might not be fit with your content. Below is a link to a problogger article that I found really helpful. He goes through all the ways he gets ad revenues and tells you how they work.
  www.problogger.net/make-money-blogging/
6/11/08

kat822

Glen Hirshburg's the Snowman's Children

[reply]
1. 6/11/08
  
  flamingspinach
  
  That's an interesting title. Haven't heard of Hirshburg. What did you like about the book?
2. 6/11/08
  
  kat822
  
  Sorry I mispelled his last name on my response it's Hirshberg. He is an awesome writer, he is in the horror genra, not blood and guts horror but more sixth sense type. It's weird cuz I never knew of his writing until a blogger friend of mine introducded me to it....glen is his cousin.... I kind of have a personal connection to the story.
  
  It is loosely based on a child serial killer we had here in Oakland County in Mi in the 70's. Glen lived in OC during that time as did I, even though he was a bit older than me I still remember the terror that parents felt for their child's safety. I really connected with the book on so many levels but anyone would find it a great read.
  
  I remember being in first grade and knowing exactly what a blue gremlin looked like (the car assocciated with the killer) and looking at the sunday paper every week and all the pictures of the kids that were kidnapped.
  
  One of the girls kidnapped was found on my birthday, I light a candle for her every birthday. Anyway here is a link to his site. www.glenhirshberg.com/
3. 6/12/08
  
  flamingspinach
  
  Thanks for that background. It makes a story even more rich and interesting when you know it was based on actual events.
6/11/08

gosmelltheflowers

SHANTARAM is worth a look!

[reply]
1. 6/11/08
  
  flamingspinach
  
  Who's that by? Haven't heard of it but the title sounds cool.
6/11/08

mariamichelle

I like anything by Jonathan Kellerman. I buy his books the minute they come out, even in hardcover.

[reply]
1. 6/11/08
  
  flamingspinach
  
  I think I've heard of Kellerman. Do you have any titles in particular that you like?
6/11/08

mariamichelle

I have read them all. Kelleran is a psychologist in real life. he works with the LAPD to solve crimes. He is quite a prolific writer. I've liked them all. Since, most of his books are more or less a series, I would start in the beginning.

[reply]
1. 6/11/08
  
  flamingspinach
  
  Good call, I may look into that. That sounds vaguely like the Alex Cross character in James Patterson's series of books. You can never have enough criminal profilers!!
6/11/08

mariamichelle

YES, very similar, and the main character is Alex Delaware LOL.

[reply]
1. 6/11/08
  
  flamingspinach
  
  No way! LMFAO! Please don't tell me that the books also take place in DC...
6/11/08

machinehuman

The Mind's I - Hofstadter and Dennett

[reply]
1. 6/11/08
  
  flamingspinach
  
  What did you like about it? What genre is it in?
2. 6/11/08
  
  machinehuman
  
  It's a philosophy of mind best seller from 1981.
  check out these reviews:
  
  www.amazon.com/review/product/0553345842/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?_encoding...
3. 6/11/08
  
  flamingspinach
  
  Cool, thanks for the tip. Those are some glowing reviews.
6/11/08

gosmelltheflowers

Shantaram is based on and written by Gregory David Roberts.

Madonna was in India checking the place out to film and base Shantaram on -2010 so watch this space!

[reply]
1. 6/11/08
  
  flamingspinach
  
  Well, if Madonna likes it then maybe I will to! Thanks for the reco.
6/11/08

DeadRooster

Cluck: Murder Most Fowl

deadrooster.com/books/the-chronicles-of-a-zombie-chicken-slayer

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6/11/08

JanelleV

Good to Great -- well, i read it a while ago but its still a favorite!

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6/11/08

sellytapgirl

Twilight/New Moon/Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer www.stepheniemeyer.com

The Diary of Vaslav Nijinsky edited/translated by Joan Acocella. I had to stop reading this at one point though because there were some disgustingly explicit descriptions of things that I honestly had no interest in reading about, i.e. things he taught/imagined (he was schizophrenic) he taught to a dog.

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6/11/08

mariamichelle

Jonathan Kellerman's books mostly take place in Los Angeles.

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6/11/08

positivb

kavalier and clay
brilliant book.

[reply]
1. 6/11/08
  
  flamingspinach
  
  I love that book!! One of my all-time favorites. I heard a while ago that someone was trying to make a movie out of it co-starring Natalie Portman, but I guess it never got off the ground. Have you read any of Chabon's other books? I'm thinking of reading "The Yiddish Policemen's Union"...
6/11/08

Chas2002

I'm reading The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. Very good book.

Chas

[reply]
1. 6/11/08
  
  flamingspinach
  
  I've heard great things about that one. Chicago World's Fair, right? Is it fiction or historical fiction or nonfiction?
6/11/08

voodooKobra

The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. I'm about halfway through it and it's a damn good read.

[reply]
1. 6/11/08
  
  flamingspinach
  
  I've heard of that one. Is it anti-religious in an inflammatory way, or is it more analytical about its subject matter? I'm not really into reading hard-core anti-religious stuff...
2. 6/11/08
  
  voodooKobra
  
  Analytical.
6/11/08

kaira

I would recommend The Kiterunner, it is the best book I have ever read.
Also The Life of Pi is great!
Take care

[reply]
6/11/08

kaira

I've read a couple of Patterson's books and wasn't crazy about them. If your like Patterson I would recommend to you any of Dean Koontz's books, they are addictive!

[reply]
6/11/08

Chrislag

Its never a bad idea to read some Philip K Dick.
movies like "minority report" and "bladerunner" are loosely based on novels by him.
The American TV show "Lost" often makes references to "man in a tower" -- Dicks award winning novel.

[reply]
1. 6/11/08
  
  flamingspinach
  
  It's funny because when I was younger I could never get into him. Too dark. But now that I'm older, maybe I should give him another chance. I'm a movie buff and I liked the movie versions of Blade Runner and Minority Report -- though I despised the movie version of A Scanner Darkly -- so I'm sure I'll come back to him at some point. Do you have any favorite Philip K. Dick books?
2. 6/11/08
  
  Chrislag
  
  my fav is still "do Androids dream of electric sheep" -- this is the novel Blade runner is based on. And i think it is much better.
  It raises question what is to be truly human. Some interesting thoughts pertaining on the human necessity of Faith.
3. 6/11/08
  
  flamingspinach
  
  It's funny you mention that story because it's the one I started years ago and couldn't finish. It was too gritty or something, just not my thing. But like I said, I should check it out now that I'm older and have some perspective. I've been reading Cormac McCarthy lately, and it doesn't get any grittier than that ("No Country for Old Men" -- great book!), so I think I can handle Philip now.
6/11/08

acousticguitarist

Yes

the blog catalog book

[reply]
1. 6/11/08
  
  flamingspinach
  
  You're the second person who's suggested that one today! It must be a good read. Thanks.
6/11/08

hubbes

I spend my weekends reading:
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer.
Who Moved my Cheese
Gossip Girl

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6/11/08

MVT5150

"Backroads" by Tawni O'Dell. That was the one I couldn't remember. Great book, a bit disturbing, but a great read.

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6/11/08

Aprilfreelance

For something really off the wall, I just finished "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West."

Also just finished The Bride of Stone, which is a good light read, and Mindhunter, written by the guy who helped develop the FBI's criminal profiling unit.

[reply]
1. 6/12/08
  
  flamingspinach
  
  I heard "Mindhunter" is really good. I remember reading about the guy who the book is about and he was like a college dropout and did a million other jobs before becoming this ace crime detective, right? That's one of those books that slipped off of my radar screen, thanks for reminding me.
6/11/08

earthlingorgeous

The latest book I read couple months ago (yeah it's been that long) was
R.A. Salvatore's Homeland.

I intend to read the entire series, it's a good and engaging book. I suggest you read that one too

Honestly, I rarely read books, I read a couple maybe dozen or so. I am more of a magazine, website, blogs and newspaper reader.

I wish I read more books though, they help widen vocabulary.

[reply]
6/11/08

earthlingorgeous

Also I suggest you read Tuesdays with Morrie, 5 People you meet in heaven and Angels and Demons

[reply]
1. 6/12/08
  
  flamingspinach
  
  Angels and Demons is great! So many people make fun of Dan Brown's books, and I couldn't get past the first fifty pages of the DaVinci Code (I found it boring) but Angels and Demons has such a fast pace and a great set of bad guys! I can't wait to see the movie version. Thanks for your other suggestions too.
2. 6/12/08
  
  earthlingorgeous
  
  yeah DaVinci's Code is kinda boring, I also wished that the Angels and Demons was the one to make it as a movie and not DaVinci.
  
  I can't wait to see the flying pope and who plays the role, the underground tunnel would be great to see on screen too :)!
6/11/08

DLHarris

For fiction, I enjoy anything by Barbara Kingsolver ("The Bean Trees") or Sherman Alexie ("The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven"); for poetry, try Naomi Shihab Nye. Recently read non-fiction favorites are "Religious Literacy" by Stephen Prothero, "The Ragamuffin Gospel" by Brennan Manning; and my own new book, "Stepping into the Light: You're a Christian, what now?"

[reply]
1. 6/12/08
  
  flamingspinach
  
  Thanks for those suggestions. Sherman Alexie is a genius, without a doubt. Have you read any of his other books? Like "The Toughest Indian in the World?" I read "The Lone Ranger and Tonto" and loved it.
6/11/08

JDh888

ah just read "The Book of Lost Things" by John Connolly

simple yet entertaining

or if you like humor suggest Chris Moore "Dirty Job"

[reply]
6/11/08

morgantj

"On Bullshit" by Harry G. Frankfurt. It's a great read on what "bullshit" is and how bullshitters differ from liars. It's a quick read, only about 80 pages.

Interview with the author (Video)- coblitz.codeen.org/press.princeton.edu/video/frankfurt/Entire.wmv

[reply]
1. 6/12/08
  
  flamingspinach
  
  That sounds hilarious. I'll have to look into it. Thanks for the suggestion.
2. 6/12/08
  
  morgantj
  
  It's not meant to be, but it does have it's humorous moments. It's very insightful. He has given "bullshit" a lot of thought.
3. 6/12/08
  
  flamingspinach
  
  Anyone who's given b.s. that much thought is all right by me. I'll have to definitely look into his book.
8/02/08

yabookblogger

I have some book reviews on my blog if you want to check it out.
www.yabookrealm.com

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8/02/08

bladeaxe4

Robert E. Svoboda 's three all time hit books ! You can never get such books anywhere !

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8/02/08

Anniepooh

Oh, food based stuff. Right now I have several going -- My Life in France - Julia Child anmd Michael (?) Prudhomme; Eat, Shrink and be Merry by the Podleski sisters; Hotel Pastis by Peter Mayle (of course) and The Complete Book of Garlic by Ted Jordan Meredith.

[reply]
8/02/08

drjay1966

don't read non o' them books
them books is for elitists

besides, there are so many good reality dating shows on
who's got the time?

[reply]
8/02/08

karenlawrence

Couple goodies I've read lately and reviewed on amazon & my blog

Fiction--The Dogs of Babel by Carolyn Parkhurst
Nonfiction--The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
spiritual--I Am Therefore I Am by Lawrence Doochin

[reply]
8/02/08

Theresa111

"Open Your Mind To Receive," by Catherine Ponder. It's pretty old but is simple and to the point.

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8/02/08

globalgirl

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

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8/02/08

genopianist54

yeps, i read the book of Art of Seduction by Robert Greene
www.chroniclesoftrisna.com/archives/152
and
the Danger of Internet Addiction by Dr.Scholer
www.chroniclesoftrisna.com/archives/156

There, i gave you the summary

[reply]
8/02/08

Sandrasvision

Our bookclub recently read “The Shadow of the Wind” by Carlos Ruiz Zafon and it was there was a consensus on how well written the book is . Everyone enjoyed it.

Also another favorite of mine are "Dancing on the Edge of the Roof" by Sheila Williams a great story about taking risks in your life.

For summer fun I just finished The Spellman File- I found it hilarious. Happy Reading

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8/02/08

voodooKobra

Billions and Billions by Carl Sagan.

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8/02/08

GrayFoxDown

"One Minute to Midnight" by Michael Dobbs. A moment-to-moment examination of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

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1/19/09

famouspick

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

famouspick.blogspot.com
Book recommendations from famous people

[reply]
4/25/09

archiegottlieb

i honestly haven't read a "great" book in a long time. i always return to the classics if i'm starved for a truly superb read. everything else seems to either be just good, mediocre, or just plain crap.

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